Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/885168
2017 BMW G 310 GS FIRST TEST P86 The G 310 GS is a great traffic tool, thanks to the oil-bath clutch's light lever action, whose linear actuation combines with the ide- ally mapped fueling to consistently supply smooth departures from stop signs or traffic lights without risk of stalling. Working the clutch is light and untiring, making riding the BMW in city streets a genuine pleasure—your hand won't cramp up doing so, although bottom gear is very low, and obviously chosen for when a passenger is carried. You soon find it's better to start from a stop on level ground in second gear if you're on your own, with no need to slip the clutch much. Like the G 310 R, this'll be a great bike for novices or comeback riders, simply because it's so very easy to ride, with none of the jerky, harsh pickup from a closed throttle of at least one major competitor. The BMW exudes a visual level of quality that's frankly unexpect- ed in such a low-cost product manufactured offshore. Only the plastic switchgear looks cut- price—the rest of the G 310 GS components look very BMW, with high quality alloy castings and forged triple-clamps, an LED tail light, and a good paint job, and on this early production model at least, build-quality looks good. This marriage of Eastern manu- facture with Western design and build values is an inexpensive, af- fordable BMW, not a cheap one. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT BMW and TVS have joined forces to produce a motorcycle that's self-evidently a BMW, but made in India largely to the standards of its Berlin factory. Just as with the G 310 R, there's an honest sense of manufacturing quality about the mini-GS, coupled with dynamic refinement in use—the engine is beautifully fueled, seems strong for its capacity level, and feels essentially un-burstable. While keenly priced, it totally conforms to BMW's brand identity in terms of performance, manufacturing quality and styling. Its rivals such as Honda's CRF250 Rally, the Suzuki V-Strom 250, the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 400, and especially the Kawasaki Versys X-300, have all got trouble on their hands, especially as BMW has strengthened its R&D back office in the past 18 months via the recruitment of a pair of key former KTM executives to lead the G 310 development team. Andreas Wimmer was KTM's project leader for all street singles, from the 125 Duke up to and including the 690 model range, and was responsible for work- ing with Bajaj on the startup of KTM production in India. He's been at BMW for almost three years, and has now been joined there by his former boss at KTM, Jörg Schüller, the Austrian firm's former Product Manager. These guys are heavy hitters in product development, and the acquired knowledge they bring to the party of working with an Indian partner will be invaluable in developing the BMW-TVS partnership still further. Okay, so what's next?! CN 2017 BMW G 310 GS ENGINE: ......................Single-cylinder POWER: ..............34 hp @ 9500 rpm (claimed) TORQUE: ............21 lb-ft @ 7500 rpm (claimed) DISPLACEMENT: ....................... 313cc BORE X STROKE: ......... 80 x 62.1mm COMPRESSION RATIO: ..............10.6:1 EXHAUST: ........................................ 1-1 TRANSMISSION: .................Six-speed CHASSIS: ....................... Tubular steel frame in grid structure with bolted rear sub frame FRONT SUSPENSION: ............... 41mm conventional fork. REAR SUSPENSION: .....Single shock operated by BMW Paralever FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ............4.9 in. REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: ................. 7 in. FRONT BRAKE: ........... Bybre 4-piston caliper, 300mm disc; ABS REAR BRAKE: ..... Bybre single-piston caliper, 240mm disc; ABS FRONT TIRE: ....................110/80 R19 REAR TIRE: .......................150/70 R17 STEERING HEAD ANGLE: ...........63.3° TRAIL: ....................................... 3.8 in. WHEELBASE: .......................... 58.2 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ........................ 32.8 in. FUEL CAPACITY: .................... 2.9 gal. WEIGHT (Curb, claimed): .... 373 lbs. COLOR:.......Cosmic Black, Racing Red and Pearl White metallic MSRP: ............................................... TBD S P E C I F I C A T I O N S